


It's All in the Cards- 10 of swords reversed/ 5 of Wands/ Knight of Swords Reversed

by mphelmsman



Series: It's all in the Cards [9]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, M/M, POV Sherlock Holmes, Paternal Lestrade, Self Confidence Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-27
Updated: 2015-07-27
Packaged: 2018-04-11 14:39:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4439651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mphelmsman/pseuds/mphelmsman
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Later, Sherlock will think about how he never heard the gunshot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's All in the Cards- 10 of swords reversed/ 5 of Wands/ Knight of Swords Reversed

_**10 of Swords Reversed** _

 

_**This card upright is among the most horrific cards in a Tarot deck and traditionally is the only one that actually shows blood. It can indicate someone is thinking of an attack or an attack is actually about to happen that will be serious or even fatal. It is one of the few cards that can be interpreted literally from the image of a body on the ground pierced with ten swords in the back. Reversed this card speaks of an attack that is thwarted or at least survivable. In any position it indicates danger beyond what has been thought of.** _

 

_**5 of Wands** _

 

_**5 of wands indicates a war of words or ideologies is underway. It does not represent an attack on a helpless target however, more a battle in which all parties are so evenly matched it can become a stalemate. It can also indicate that it is time to reach for other resources to aid in the fight, perhaps even one of the other antagonists could be recruited to an alliance. This does not mean in any way that the battle is lost; it just may be time to adapt strategy to a different situation.** _

 

_**Knight of Swords reversed** _

 

_**The Knight of swords is often interpreted as a younger or less experienced man in the realm of pure intellect. Knights also can indicate travel or someone who will move in pursuit of his goals. Reversed this card can indicate a man who resists movement, progression, or simply someone who uses his brain but does not wish intellect to be his sole defining feature.** _

 

Later, Sherlock will think about how he never heard the gunshot. He and John had been walking back to 221B after picking up takeaway, a particularly interesting case solved after 4 days of combing through a mound of electronic records. He only knew something was wrong when John stumbled uncharacteristically and dropped the bag he was holding. Sherlock reached to steady him and saw pained shock cloud those deep blue eyes he loved so well. Then he felt a spreading wetness where he had steadied John’s back. Together they sank onto the pavement and Sherlock's head filled with static as he saw that his palm was red with John's blood.

 

All Sherlock could think of was to rip off his scarf and press against the wound as his lover lay sprawled across his legs. Sherlock  should have called 999 but he simply could not move; his mind overwhelmed with fear and the sense of his own helplessness. John could save a life but it was John himself who needed saving now and he simply couldn't cope. He should have been struck next, if someone wanted to eliminate John Watson they most likely wanted to eliminate him as well, but a second shot didn't come. Instead an ambulance and paramedics arrived; a bystander or the ever watchful Mycroft must have called 999.

 

Sherlock clutched his bloodstained scarf  in numb fingers after they moved him out of the way. A part of his brain, unaffected by emotion, clinically noted that the wound was very close to the spine. Even though it had not been a direct hit there could be some damage to the spinal column causing partial or complete paralysis. That thought made Sherlock scramble slightly away from where they were working on John's horrifically still form and throw up everything he had eaten that day. As he continued to dry heave a blanket was dropped over his shoulders and he looked up to see the pained but sympathetic face of DI Lestrade.

 

Sherlock open his mouth to say something but there was nothing to say; he should be the one laying there with a bullet in his back. He was the one who had killed his way around the globe, not John, never John. His eyes drifted back to where they were loading John's body into the ambulance and he stumbled to his feet to climb in after his lover. He growled, "Let me go!" as Lestrade restrained him.

 

"They won't let you in, Sherlock. You aren't family and as far as they know he's married to someone else!"

 

Sherlock hissed so low it was likely only Lestrade heard him, "It was probably his *wife* who pulled the trigger."

 

"That's as may be but if you get in their way it will only delay John receiving the care he needs." Lestrade shook him, not hard but enough to get Sherlock's attention. "Come on, I can get you to the hospital almost as quick and we'll see if your brother can arrange for you to have access to him."

 

"My brother should have been taking care that this wouldn't happen!"

 

"Maybe but that won't help John now. Come on!" Lestrade pushed him towards the police car he had arrived in while the ambulance peeled away with lights and sirens clearing the way for them.

 

Next to the car was Sally Donovan. She looked Sherlock over and seemed confused by what she saw. Sherlock could feel the tears on his cheek and he knew from the shivers that had started to sweep over his body that he was falling into shock. He raised his head in challenge of her disbelief but let Lestrade handle his own subordinate. "Close off the area and get statements from witnesses, Donovan." the silver haired man said as he pushed Sherlock into the passenger seat.

 

"He was the closest witness." she pointed out automatically.

 

"Great, I'm sure he'll be _so_ coherent for the five minutes before he passes out. Do your job without arguing just the once Donovan! I don't have time for this." Lestrade pushed past her and got behind the driver's seat. In second they were moving. "He's going to be fine, Sherlock." he said in what should have been a reassuring voice.

 

"The shot was very near his spine, Greg." Sherlock stated back through numb lips, too tired to play the game of 'forgetting' the inspectors first name. "It is highly likely to cause at least some form of paralysis. If....if," the words stuck in Sherlock's throat but he forced them out, "if he survives at all."

 

"He's is _not_ going to leave you now, Sherlock. Not when he finally has you." Lestrade said determinedly, then grinned a bit when Sherlock looked at him, startled,. "I've known for weeks how things stood between you two. It was hard not to notice."

 

Sherlock shook his head, it didn't matter now, nothing mattered except John. However, Lestrade seemed to be waiting for an answer. "You've gotten better while I was away."

 

"Bollocks. A blind man could see you two were together now."

 

The detective nodded and looked down at the blood soaked scarf he still held, "Yes. It was probably all too obvious."

 

Lestrade sighed as he pulled into the hospital parking lot, "John's not some delicate flower to be wrapped in cotton wool, Sherlock. He a soldier, a fighter, he's used to being in the firing line and no matter how much you Holmes' want to control every little thing you don't have the right to make his decisions for him. He loves you and he knows what he signed up for. Come on now."

 

When they entered the A&E they were told that Dr Watson was already in surgery and were directed into a deserted waiting room. Sherlock lapsed into a deep silence; no matter what the Scotland Yard detective thought, the evidence clearly indicated that he was the cause of this. He was the one who set John up as a target and never thought of the consequences. Dimly he felt Lestrade take the scarf from his clutching grasp and gently clean John's blood from his hands. He wanted to run to his Mind Palace but he was afraid of the John Watson there who would surely berate him for his inattention. He felt all he could do was stay somewhere in between and plan what he would do if John did not survive. He'd have to move fast but there were hidden guns in several of his bolt holes and it would only require one bullet. He'd done enough damage.

 

Sherlock was shaken out of this state by the appearance of a short, blond woman who showed signs of past alcoholism but looked perfectly sober now. It was Harriet Watson and Sherlock wanted to cringe before her; this was his fault, all his fault. Then she marched to him and grabbed his shoulders, "Stop that! Sinking into self blame is going to do fuck all for my brother. you need to be at your best to make sure he has a fighting chance."

 

"How would you know? You couldn't even bother to come to your brother's wedding." Sherlock spat at her. That day had torn his heart to pieces but at least he'd been there.

 

"I wasn't there cause he wasn't marrying the right fucking person and he wouldn't listen when I told him so. Obvious as shit from his blog who he really loved. I was relieved as shit when he told me he had finally pulled his head out of his arse and wanted my help with that internet thing he is trying to pull off."

 

"What internet thing?" Sherlock was so confused, a state he had not often experience and did not enjoy at all.

 

Harry's eyebrows raised in surprise, "He didn't tell you? He's been working on the quiet to make sure that if you suddenly disappeared there would be a public outcry directed at the government. He wanted to keep anyone from connecting it to him so he asked me to use some contacts I have on the net. A recovering alcoholic makes all sorts of odd friends. People who know how to run a PR campaign on the quiet."

 

"No.....he couldn't....I would have seen." That John was keeping a secret like this from him was incomprehensible.

 

"Huh!" Harriet grunted, "So he really didn't let you know? Guess he had more than one thing to prove. Doesn't matter now," she said looked towards the door through which a surgeon would eventually come to tell them John Watson's fate. "What matters is Johnny's going to need you so you've got to put yourself back together and fast."

 

"Couldn't agree more, "Lestrade said, placing a hot cup of coffee into Sherlock's hands, "that and there are far to many secrets being kept around here. Always were. I would have thought you might be able to handle the concept of teamwork now but you Holmes' never can think we mere mortals might be able to catch things you miss."

 

"What do you mean?" Sherlock asked.

 

"Never mind." The inspector answered firmly, "Right now just concentrate on the man who needs you most."

 

Sherlock could do that; nothing mattered more than John's survival and recovery. So for the first time in his life he pushed all deductions and speculations out of his mind and simply sat. Soon enough someone would come to inform them of the fate of John Hamish Watson.

**Author's Note:**

> I've been looking at earlier parts of this series and realize a desperately need a beta. If anyone is interested please let me know.
> 
> Also you can find me on tumblr as mphelmsman9 and I hang on the Giant Chat of Sumatra from time to time. I would love to talk to you guys.


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